Summary

Forensic hair analysis has developed a bad reputation. The technique has traditionally relied on traits such as color, thickness, and curvature to link a suspect to a crime scene. But an ongoing reanalysis of old cases by the U.S. Department of Justice found that analysts have often overstated their case in the courtroom. Now, sophisticated analytical techniques are giving hair a new role in forensics. The goal is no longer matching a suspect to a crime scene, but using hair to infer physical characteristics or even the travel history of an unknown criminal or victim.